Au pairs post-Brexit

[Newmum738]

We are struggling to juggle work and family life and have been considering an au pair. Looking at the visa requirements post-Brexit, it seems fairly impossible. The student visa is expensive and the youth mobility scheme requires a young person to have £2,500 in their bank account!! It just seems so difficult to get someone over with these restrictions. Has anyone found a way through this? Interested in any tips or advice.

Unless you want very few hours, they can’t come on a student visa - unless they’re doing a degree level course and you’re happy with 20hrs max. A language course only allows 10 hours of work and has to be sponsored by a recognised language school, who take responsibility for them.

that requirement on the tier 5 visa is new and as they also need to pay the health surcharge, it looks really restrictive.

I really wouldn’t bother at the moment until it’s sorted out. There are some au pairs out there who were here before 2021 and have right to remain, or SA who have U.K. passports, but they can pick and chose their families. They also tend to be quite lonely, fewer au pairs means less chance to socialise, which was always part of the overall experience.

m next door to me have had 2 au pairs, but SA with U.K. passports, the first lasted 3 weeks and the second a month. They were offering their own flat and car as well.

I really wouldn’t bother atm

Thanks! That's how it is seeming to me too. It might be worth me having a look at any that are already in the country or try the mothers help route with someone closer to home if I can find someone!

English au pairs are much in demand, there are also aupair jobs going with some absolutely fab wages and working conditions due to the shortage of nannies and au pairs

try babysitters dot co dot uk for people near you to pick up the work

Thanks for the tip @ivykaty44

its childcare dot co dot uk - sorry

lots of babysitters, childminders, nannies advertise on there - all local to you